Change brings opportunity, something that many in the field of search engine optimization take into stride.

Perhaps since the beginning, website designers and search engine companies have been participating in a never-ending battle; one in which websites seek newer methods to gain an edge to get to that first-page rank.

Search engines keep developing newer ways to refine and redefine their techniques to determine the worth and value of websites, so that only those who practice effective SEO tactics can gain that position.

Yet, some details must be considered.

With search engines evolving and updating their search criteria all the time, and SEO practices striving to meet those updates, there can never be any constant method through which both sides can get what they want. Nevertheless, with the New Year approaching, there are still many practices that we’ve seen emerge from the world of SEO.

And for the year of 2018, we’ve decided to consider these SEO trends and how they may impact our work. But first, let’s discuss the factors that have impacted these SEO changes.

Mobile Design

The past couple of years, we’ve seen almost all companies roll out newer operating systems, that make searching easier for users. And with that, Google and other search engines have also released newer updates, making mobile searches their primary targets. It should be noted that nearly 60% of all searches online come from mobile phones.

As such, mobile friendly SEO strategies have become a must for websites that need to bring their content on the front lines.

Relevance of Particular Content

Gone are the days of search engines connecting their search results on one keyword!

Search engines now analyze each query, and try to find relevant content to that topic for an easier answer. So for example, if a person were to search for a particular topic, they wouldn’t receive general search results.

Rather, the content would be served based on relevancy to their intent, their location and the common trends at that moment. The search result would align groups of keywords with the same intent, and would allow the searcher to precisely target their search by presenting them with more than just one answer.

Post-Click Rankings

Although pre-click rankings need to be optimized, post-click rankings have become just as important. Numerous algorithms now focus on post-click engagement as well as pre-click instances. For search engines, it’s important that the websites they rank on the first page offer a satisfactory user experience, since that would lead to more page views and better user interaction.

Specific Searches for Answers

People are no longer just looking for general answers to their questions. Search engines such as Google are required to provide specific information that helps the user through specific references. How is a pencil made? Why is my tooth aching? How do I get a US visa? Sites offering answers to these questions must provide proper answers and create connections to be registered as good sources by search engines.

SEO Developments to Expect in 2018

Backlink Building

Backlink building is an effective yet tricky tactic in SEO. Before, websites would flood their content with links that would take consumers to numerous directories. However, thanks to updates in search engine algorithms, websites are now careful to only link to reputable websites that can add something to the user experience. Backlink building is an important component in SEO practices, and in 2018, we might be seeing an update in link guidelines as well, urging copies to be more specific with their backlinks.

Faster Loading Mobile Pages

Page loading time is as important for search engines as it is for consumers. Most people visiting websites would not want to wait more than two seconds and would automatically switch off. Keeping this in mind, search engines such as Google have introduced an open source project known as Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), which enables mobile browsers to load pages at four times the speed of regular pages without using more data (10x less). Though not as helpful for boosting your ranks, this tool may show results by cutting down the bounce rate.

Brand Awareness

Strengthening your brand by using different components alongside SEO will be greatly focused on in 2018. If companies want their brands to be recognized in the top SERPs, they would need to incorporate the use of SEO practices on social media websites to heighten their brands awareness amongst the public. Though social media websites do not directly improve your rankings, they do offer another mode for traffic. Adding videos and images would be even better since consumers would relate visual indicators with your brand.

Video Content Sharing

Due to Facebook’s recent updates, videos have become a constant medium through which search engines can campaign for their websites. As a visual mode that provides instant information in a short amount of time, videos allow users to learn from and share those links, which in turn helps companies with their overall marketing strategies. Pairing quality content with quality videos would increase viewership and would make businesses more recognizable. So far, not many companies have successfully utilized this power, though we may see a change in the coming year.

Optimizing Websites for Voice Search

With intelligent personal assistants giving online access to users through spoken commands, more websites are now trying to make their content conversation-friendly to make it more accessible. Using tactics such as placing specific keyword phrases on particular pages on websites are allowing people to get to their goal easily, and making the job easier for search engines.

Optimizing Your Website for 2018

As a leading SEO service provider in the United States, at Search Symmetry we use our experience to make sure that all our clients get the services they need to get ahead of the competition. We use a wide range of digital marketing tactics, specific to different fields and try to use our awareness of social marketing to ensure that we stay on top of all the trends that are shaping the field of SEO.

2018 is an exciting time for websites that want to improve their position on SERPS. With our expertise and competency regarding on-page and off-page SEO activities, we can help companies achieve their goals and transform their websites into revenue-generating platforms with significant traffic.

If you would like to secure the top results for your website and brand, contact Search Symmetry and provide us with the information needed. To maintain your company’s ranking, use our hands-on expertise in web optimization and utilize our tactics and knowledge of white-label SEO strategies to provide your consumers with relevant brand information!